Learning About Reality
by staceycj
Summary: AU: A scarred and battered Dean learns that Hazel Eyes was right. This picks up with the AU Sam and Dean from Alternate Life
1. Chapter 1

"_**David?"**_

"_**Simon?" Simon whipped out a silver knife and came after the man who looked and sounded like his brother. "You aren't my brother! How dare you take his body." Simon raged and dug the knife into his neck.**_

"_**Simon! Stop! It is him! It's him!" **_

"_**No. It isn't! My brother is dead! I know he's dead. I buried him. I…" He stopped and choked on his words. A hand from behind pulled his arm away from the neck of the person who claimed to be his brother.**_

"_**It is him. Trust me. It's him." Robert said gently from behind. "Take it away from his neck. I tried everything. I don't know how it's him but it is him." Simon, breathing heavily, pulled his massive body away from the other man and looked at him, looked him dead in the eye, those eyes were soft, compassionate and scared. They were his brother's eyes. His brother had made it back to him..**_

Dean sighed and hit save on the computer. If it had only been that easy when the other Sam brought back his Sam. But it hadn't been, his Sam had asked what happened and that was all. He didn't care any more than that. What he did say was that if he contacted that other "psychopathic homicidal maniac" that he would kill him, because he had most certainly learned how to in his time away. Sam walked away that day and he went back to his old life, he went back to Anastasia, and he went back to Topeka and his old law firm. He claimed that he had a momentary flash of insanity and that he was all right now, and they accepted it, because normal people, they wanted to accept something like that.

Dean pushed himself out of the chair, it was taking effort again ever since his week long stay in the hospital after his encounter with that demon thing. She had cut him up pretty good and she made sure to cut up the muscles in his legs as well as the skin on his arms and chest. She was one nasty bitch and he was going to suffer the ramifications of that for life. His physical therapist said that he would walk with a limp probably for the rest of his life. It was just one more scar to add to the ever mounting list.

The icon informing him he had mail blinked into existence on his task bar and he debated for a moment whether or not to answer it. He smiled to himself, wondering if it was a response to the story. Ever since his encounter with the other Sam, he started posting his story online, just to test the theory that, perhaps, what he was writing about was more real than he thought. He had received a lot of positive feedback and he could never resist a blinking mail icon, because it usually meant that there was some kind of happy mail awaiting him.

He leaned against his computer desk and double clicked the icon and waited and then he clicked the mail open and read the simple text.

_Where have you been getting your information?_

Startled Dean eased himself back into the chair. _Where did I get the information? What does it matter where it came from? It's just a story._ He thought as he reread the e-mail. His eyes stung. What if this is was the fish that he had been trying to catch? Maybe the stuff he was writing about was closer to reality like the other Sam said. He hesitantly hit reply and wrote:

_I play around online for the information. It's all just crap. Just like to make up stories, writing helped me through a really bad time in my life. _

_Dean._

He reread his response and sighed, that would have to do. It would make anyone who just wanted to find the websites disinterested and entice someone who knew the reality. He hit send and starred hard at his computer for a moment almost worried that another demon chick would come barreling out of the computer.

Months ago he would have thought demons were nothing but the things in his life that he was addicted to, or the mistakes that he had made, now, now, demons meant girls with knives that knew how to use them. Life had most certainly been different since the other Sam came into his life, and a lot of it wasn't exactly tangible, a lot of things just felt different, and something about this e-mail frightened him.


	2. Too Late

It wasn't hard to put the weird feeling or the e-mail in the back of his mind, Adam was coming over for the weekend, and when his son was around nothing in the world could deter Dean from spending every waking second with the boy. Getting to know his son was better than any drug that he had ever taken, had ever dreamed of taking, he went higher than he ever had when the kid was there, telling him about his day at school, or telling him about the dog down the street, or even about a picture that he colored for his mom.

And this weekend, like all of the others that he had been so blessed to have, came to an end quicker than he wanted it to. "You did your homework right buddy?" Dean asked as he zipped Adam's book bag.

"Yeah. It's done."

"Your math folder in here?"

"Yeah. It's all there daddy."

"Okay." Dean looked around the kitchen checking to make sure that Adam had all of his things. "Let's get going kid."

Adam nodded and Dean helped him with his book bag, which he promptly threw into the backseat of the car when they got to it. Dean tried and failed miserably to keep his eyes from making a complete rotation in their sockets.

The car ride to Kelly's house was silent, it was always silent, the two of them hadn't figured out how to let the other go after the weekend. Dean always found that his small house was too large once Adam left, found that he missed the noise of the kid running through the house, calling for him, asking questions, talking and chattering about things that made no sense. The house was left colder and Dean found himself as empty and cold as the house. He hated 7pm on Sunday nights. Hated it.

Dean pulled into the drive way and cut the engine. "Come on kiddo. Your mom probably misses you." Adam smiled and got out of the car and the two of them slowly walked up the drive way and Kelly opened the door before they could get there, like she always did.

"Hey baby!" she said and picked him up and hugged him tightly. She smiled at Dean over the boy's shoulder. "I think you got bigger while you were over at your daddy's." Adam giggled.

"No I didn't mommy." He said and she put him down.

"You sure? You look bigger to me." All three smiled and she patted her son on the head. "Go on, go get your teeth brushed and ready for bed."

"But momma…"

"Don't argue with your mom." Dean said sternly. Adam sighed and went inside.

"You two have a good time Dean?" she asked. He nodded.

"Always do. Hey, Adam is trying out for T-ball right?"

"Yeah. He asked about it. I was going to let him try."

"Could you call me? I'd like to be there at the try outs." Dean shrugged. "If that's okay." He was still unsure of his place in Adam's life. He loved him with every ounce of his being, but he still didn't feel as if he fit into the life, fit into his day to day rituals, his schooling, the decision about bedtimes. He overheard women at the shop the other day, while they were waiting for the oil to be changed in their car, say that their fathers of their children were nothing more than weekend dads. That they were great for picking them up on the weekends and for letting the kids do things that they normally weren't allowed just so they could be the good guys, but when it came to everything else they were useless. Dean wondered if that was how Kelly thought about him. He didn't want to be viewed that way. He wanted to be as much a part of Adam's life as he could, he just wasn't sure how to ask, if he was supposed to ask, or even if he had rights to do it to begin with. He had spent the first five years of Adam's life higher than a kite. Did that take away some of his rights as a parent?

"You want to go?" She asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I really do."

"Fantastic. Yes. I will definitely call you and let you know. If he doesn't call you first and tell you. He'll be all excited."

Dean laughed. "I know. He explained the game to me this weekend. Twice I think. I may have tuned out the third telling, not sure though."

Kelly smiled and wrapped her arms around her middle. "You listened a time and a half more than I have. Next time he wants to share again, I'll have him call you." Dean grinned, adjusted his glasses nervously and was saved by Adam's yell.

"MOM! Where are my Spiderman PJs?!" Kelly rolled her eyes.

"See you next Sunday Dean."

"See you then." He said and turned from the door just as it closed and Kelly started yelling her answer up the stairs. Dean laughed to himself, and tried to ignore the empty feeling beginning to claw its way into his gut. He tried to put it out of his mind the entire way home, he tried to not let it feel like he lost a part of himself when he left that little boy with his mother.

He sighed and got out of the car, and as he looked back to make sure he locked the doors he saw Adam's book bag.

"Damn it. How did I not notice that he forgot his school stuff?" Dean sighed and limped his way back inside the car and made another trip to Kelly's.

He was getting out of the car when he heard a scream, a child sized scream. He got out of the car as fast as his leg would allow him, and he dashed up the driveway, and to the front door, he tried it, it was locked, he tried it again, still locked.

"ADAM!" he yelled. "ADAM!" he yelled again. Adam's shrill scream greeted him. Panic infused, Dean searched harder, faster, more frantic. In a moment of clarity, just as his son's frantic screaming stopped, he remembered where Kelly kept her spare key, he found it, and began the arduous task of trying to get it to unlock the door. Finally, the door opened, and he was able to see the thin haze of smoke in the house. Fire. Fire was consuming the ones he loved.

"ADAM!" he yelled again and started for the stairs.

"Daddy!" he heard Adam scream. His son's screams infused his body with a power and strength, and he was able to climb the stairs quickly, even take two at a time, something he hadn't been able to do since the accident. "Daddy!" he heard screamed again.

"I'm coming Adam. I'm coming!" Dean ran to his son's room, and found him screaming, petrified screaming, and starring at the ceiling. Flames were beginning to lick down the sides of the walls, closer to his baby boy, and he grabbed his kid, and looked up for a brief second, and was almost rooted to the spot. Kelly was the epicenter of the fire. She was the one that started it, on the ceiling, flames claiming the last of her face. Dean swallowed hard, pulled his coat tighter around his son, and dashed back down the stairs, out of the house and against his car.

Adam cried, and cried and cried, as the neighbors, one by one came out of their homes. He heard someone say something about 911. All Dean could think, as he heard his son's broke heart sob out of his body, was that they were too late, they were all too late.


	3. Sirens and Grandparents

Sirens wailed, people screamed orders, hoses were connected to fire hydrants, and water was sprayed at the house, and the flames licked and roared, and consumed his son's home and his mother inside. He just rested against his car and held his trembling, sobbing son in his arms and rocked as much as his abused leg would allow.

Kelly's mother and father showed up, in their pajamas, her mother crying so hard that she almost fell to her knees right in front of him, her husband clutched onto her and held her up, and they both watched as the firefighters fought back the flames, tried to save the houses around, didn't want to destroy anyone else's life.

Dean was rocking and soothing Adam when Kelly's mother started to scream "Where's Adam! Where's Adam! Where's my grandson?!"

"Right here. Right here." Dean called out with a voice more shaken than he cared. She turned on her heel and ran to them.

"Adam baby!" She tried to pry her grandson out of his father's arms, and Dean was going to allow her to have him, even moved so much as to extend the child to her, but Adam latched on tighter, refused movement, and burrowed his head into Dean's neck that much tighter.

"Adam, go to your grandma. She wants to see you, make sure you are okay." He shook his head no. Dean looked at Kelly's father pleading for help.

"Susanne, he wants to stay with his father." He said with a hand on her arm. Susanne started to cry harder. Dean looked at both of them and licked his lips and pushed himself away from the car and walked closer to Kelly's distraught mother. He nodded at her and she wrapped her arms around both Adam and Dean and held on tight.

"My beautiful baby." She said, and Dean didn't know if she was talking about Adam or if she was talking about and he didn't care, he just pressed them closer to her and she held on tighter and Dean did everything he could to keep upright. He had pushed his leg way beyond its limits when he ran up the stairs to get his son, and try to get the woman he wished he could have loved better.

His leg began to tremble under the weight and strain. He started to fall, and Kelly's father grabbed his arm and helped steady him. Dean looked over the boy's head and nodded a thank you to the man. Twin tear tracks marred the men's faces and they both understood, both felt the loss acutely.

It wasn't long after that the police came and started asking him questions. "Mr Winchester why did you go back to her house?" "Why did you run into a burning house?" "Did you see anyone there?" "Did she smoke?" "When you dropped your son off, did you smell smoke or anything funny coming from the house?"

Questions, questions, and more questions. They kept asking him the same things, different ways, kept trying to get him to say that yes, he had kidnapped his own kid out of the house and then set it on fire with his ex girlfriend inside. What made every single thing worse was the fact that the cops knew him, knew him from his drug busts, his B & E and they treated him like he was now a murderer.

"You are keeping the boy?" Officer Edwards asked Kelly's father.

"His father is standing right here."

"We were hoping to get him settled with a responsible adult."

"I'm his father." Dean said with wide eyes.

"Yes, but you have a history…"

"I'm clean. Been clean for a little over a year."

"Officer, this man has been taking care of this boy every weekend for the last three months, gone to every single parent teacher conference, gone to school events. He is father. In every sense of that word." Dean stood a little straighter. Honestly he hadn't been positive that Kelly's parents would support him. He had very little contact with them ever since he hurt Kelly that last time and disappeared and fell farther and farther into his drug habit. He looked down at the blonde hair that was in the cook of his neck and wondered how he could have let something so inconsequential rule his life for so long, how he could have eliminated this precious bundle from his life in the name of a fix. Shame flooded him and he held onto the boy just a little tighter.

"You know this man is a drug addict and a criminal?"

Kelly's father looked at him briefly and then back to the officer. "I know he made some mistakes, and I know my daughter did not allow this man back into her son's life until he had made the appropriate reparations. My daughter trusted him, trusted him enough to allow her child to be in his care for days at a time. I do not care about his passed transgressions, I care about the man he is now. And so should you." Dean looked to the man, the preacher who had never said ten words to him, even when he was clean, and felt a wealth of pride in his heart. Someone believed in him enough, cared enough to stick up for him.

"So, you wouldn't mind us checking the place out before we let the boy stay in your care?" Dean stood with confidence and gave a tight lipped smile.

"Go ahead. You won't find anything. Hell, I'll even take a piss test if you want me to. My son is going home with me. I'm the best person for him right now."

"Then we will take a little look see to make sure that your house is appropriate for children, Mr. Winchester." His name was said without respect and it irritated him.

They did look. They followed him home, and they went inside, and they looked every single inch of his house over. Once they decided it was good, an hour and a half later, they left Dean alone with his son.

"You have to go to the bathroom Adam?"

"No." He said simply.

"You sure?" he asked again. Adam always wanted to use the bathroom. Sometimes it was a trip just to get him home without his whining. And it was only a ten minute drive.

"Already went." He mumbled and tucked his blond head into Dean's chest. "When mommy was burning." He said he last so softly that Dean almost didn't hear it. He sent a silent curse to God about allowing a child see his mother die, about allowing a child to wet himself and be too traumatized to tell anyone, about allowing the kid to have an ex drug addict for a father, one whose house had to be searched before he could stay. Dean closed his eyes and held onto Adam tighter and kissed his head.

"I'm sorry Adam. I should have known." _Your Mom would have known._ He thought inwardly. "Let's get you into some clean clothes."

"No." he said and held onto Dean tighter.

"Kiddo, I have to get your clothes into the laundry. You can't stay in clothes that you wet yourself in."

"Don't leave me Daddy." He said in a sob and held on tighter.

"I'm not going to leave you buddy. I just want you in clean clothes. I'll be right by you the entire time, I promise. I swear." He kissed his son's hair again and Adam pulled away, eyes red and swollen from crying. He searched his father's scarred face and found truth, found that his dad was indeed sincere. He nodded, more tears spilling from his green eyes. "Okay then. Let's get you cleaned up."


	4. Mary Needed

Adam's trembling little body finally calmed down and he fell into a fitful sleep, Dean on the other hand, couldn't close his eyes without seeing Kelly on the ceiling, flames licking her face, and flesh falling from bones that were supernaturally stuck to the ceiling.

Dean reached slowly into his pocket and retrieved his cell phone. "Mom?" he asked softly.

"Dean?" she asked groggily.

"Mom. I need you to come over."

"You having a craving?" she asked. When he was in his first months clean, he had called her and told her that he needed her and she would watch him like a hawk, make him play cards, talk to him, force him to watch television, anything to mortify the cravings for the drugs. Those nights had been painful, but his mother was always right by his side waiting and willing. For the first time in his life, he wished that drugs were the problem.

"No, mom." He licked his lips and tried to figure out how to say it.

"What is it then baby?" she asked, when he had been silent longer than needed.

"Mom. Kelly is dead." He said softly, and he began to cry again. This time the tears came with sobs, and Dean did everything in his power not to jostle his barely sleeping son. Adam needed whatever kind of sleep he could achieve, he would need it for the days to come.

"Shhh. I'll be right there Dean. I'll be right there baby." And she was, in her night clothes, hair askew, eyes wide and sad, she burst threw his door and found him on the couch, holding Adam tightly to his body, tears rolling down his scarred face. She went to him, held him close and brushed his hair away from his face. "Dean. Dean baby." She said and he began to cry harder, and Adam woke up, Dean turned to him and kissed the top of his head.

"Go back to sleep Adam." He said into the soft hair.

"Grammy?" Adam asked groggily.

"I'm here Adam."

"Mommy was caught in the fire." He said and big fat alligator tears rolled down his face. Mary looked from her son to her grandson. Both sets of wide green eyes were filled with tears, both looked so sad that it choked her, made her stomach flip with grief and sympathy.

"I know baby." She said softly and moved to the other side of the boy. She knelt down in front of him and brushed hair out of her grandson's face. She looked up at her son and then back down at her grandson. She couldn't believe that Kelly was dead. A fire. How had her house managed to catch fire and trap her inside while allowing, praise God, for her grandson to get out unscathed?

Mary and Dean sat together and stroked Adam's hair and comforted him until he fell asleep on Dean's chest again.

"What happened?" she asked when Adam fell into a soft sleep.

"I don't know what happened," he said in a voice thick with unshed tears. "I went back to give Adam his book bag, he left it in the car, and the house was burning. I ran inside. I tried to save them both Mom. I really tried." Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"You did the best you could."

"My best wasn't good enough. My son is without a mother because I wasn't strong enough to get to her. Wasn't able to save her." He squeezed his eyes shut, pulled his glasses off, and covered his eyes with his hand. He kept his sobs silent, but he couldn't stop his chest from moving up and down, and those movements woke Adam. Little sad swollen eyes looked up and then readjusted himself so his head was underneath his father's chin, and he wrapped his arms around his dad. Dean, in turn, wrapped his arms around his son, and they held onto each other, and Mary began to cry, her boys didn't deserve this. Kelly didn't deserve this. Mary felt helpless and scared, she put her hand on Adam's back and rubbed circles. The warmth of her hand was all the comfort and reassurance she could offer.


	5. Funeral

AN: This is a bridge chapter. I am sorry that it is short. I'm not sure how well it turned out. Thank you for reading!!!

* * *

"How is he?" John asked when Mary entered the kitchen.

"Which one?" she asked softly and sat down at the kitchen table beside her husband.

"Both." He stood and filled a cup of coffee for her.

"Dean is a mess, and that little boy is just so scared and sad, he won't leave Dean's side. It took everything in my power this morning to get the poor thing to let go of his daddy long enough so Dean could go to the bathroom." She sighed and accepted the cup of strong black coffee and took a sip. "Thank you." She said and put the cup down and pushed hair out of her face.

"How long will Dean have Adam?"

"I think he's going to keep him." John was silent. Mary looked up at her husband her features clouding. "What? Don't you think that Dean should have his son?"

"No. No. I think it is a good place for him to be. Especially if that is where Adam wants to be…I'm just…"

"Just what John? We've fought so hard for this moment. Fought for him to be an adult, to be clean, to be sober, and to be mature enough. Don't tell me that you have changed your mind or think that he…"

"No. It isn't that Mary. I'm just surprised that her parents aren't going to fight Dean for custody."

"No. They want him to have Adam. They think it's best." She shook her head. "I'm sorry for snapping at you."

John put a hand on top of Mary's and gave her a sad smile. "No worries." He took a sip of his own coffee and sighed. "You don't think that they will change their minds and try to take Adam away from him do you?"

Mary thought on it for a moment and shook her head. "I don't know. I don't think so. God I hope they don't do that. It would kill Dean."

"He loved Kelly."

"He did. He told me the other day that he was going to ask her out on a date."

"Just one more lost opportunity he can add to his list." John said with a sigh. "You should get some sleep sweetie."

"I can't. I need to call Kelly's parents, help them in any way I can. Gotta call Sam too." John nodded and didn't move, they stayed like that until long after the sun was up and shining bright behind them.

Mary finally was stirred into action when Kelly's parents called her to tell her about the funeral arrangements they made, asked her if she could tell Dean, she just didn't have it in her to hear his voice and sadness. Mary understood and promised that she would call her son and let him know. She also told Kelly's mother that she would come and check on them later and to call if they needed anything; they were family after all.

The call to Dean produced tears on both ends, and the information that Adam was doing as well as expected under the circumstances.

Her final call was to Sam. She bit her lip and hoped that her youngest son would be similar to how he was months ago, sweeter, nicer, loving, and caring. But just as quickly as the more pleasant mood overtook him it disappeared and the cold bitter Sam was left in his place. Pleasantries were exchanged and the sad news explained and Sam's first response wasn't one of sympathy for his brother but one of confusion and accusation.

"Who is taking care of Adam?" he asked after confirming that he would be at the funeral. "Kelly's parents?"

"No. Dean is taking care of him. He is his father Sam."

"He was a sperm donor, he has only recently been a par to of the kid's life Mom. And his past? You can't tell me that Kelly's parents are okay with Dean just taking their grandson and raising him. You can't tell me that you are okay with it mom."

Mary closed her eyes and wondered how she had managed to raise such a hateful son. "Sam. Dean is doing his best. He loves Adam, and Adam needs him right now. When you come to the funeral you do not say anything along any of those lines to your brother, do you hear?"

"I hear you mom. I just don't…"

"I don't' care what you think right now. The mother of my grandbaby is dead, my son could have died saving my grandbaby, my grandson could have died. I'm not in the mood for your condescending and hateful attitude. You will simply come and pay your respects to Kelly's family, Adam and to Dean."

"Mom…"

"Do you understand me young man?" her voice was raised and angry, Sam was a little put out by the tone.

"Fine. I'll be civil. I'll be nice."

"Thank you Sam."

The day of the funeral came. Dean hardly spoke, and Adam only held on firmly to his father and peeked out at the people who came up to him to say they were sorry about his mother. Adam eventually looked to Dean, tugged on his coat sleeve and asked why everyone was sorry.

"They are sorry that your mom is gone." Adam rolled his large green eyes back to the room filled with people milling about and looking at the pictures of his mom.

"I'm sorry she's gone too." Adam said softly.

"Me too. Me too kiddo."

The final part of the ritual had Adam and Dean sitting at the graveside beside Kelly's parents. Adam was cuddled into Dean's side as the pastor talked about his mother, about how wonderful of a woman she was, how sweet, kind and devoted to her family she was. While the pastor was talking Adam, not for the first time since the funeral began looked up at Dean and asked. "How does mommy fit into that little jar?" His big earnest green eyes broke Dean's heart again and again. He couldn't bring himself to say that his mother had burnt to a crisp, and that they barely had anything in which to fill the urn. Instead of speaking he held Adam a little closer to his body and hugged him close.


	6. Protection

After the funeral and when their parents were out of ear shot, Sam came and stood next to Dean who was standing out in his parent's back yard just looking out into the distance. "You sure you want to take care of Adam?" Sam asked. Dean looked at him and sighed inwardly. This was the moment that Dean had been anticipating the entire time Sam had been at the funeral.

"What are you talking about Sam?" he asked wearily.

"I'm asking if you are sure that you are ready to for the responsibility of taking care of a kid. You will need to keep your nose clean to keep him, you'll have to spend less time on yourself…."

"Are you implying that I will need to be less selfish."

"No implication necessary. I'm flat out saying it."

"You learned nothing while you were in that other reality, did you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Come on. You can't be pretending that it didn't happen."

"Dean, you must be delusional." Dean took a deep breath and looked straight ahead. His brother didn't learn anything, hadn't realized just how important family was. That was something he had learned from his time with the other Sam. He learned how family devotion can transcend anything, overcome anything even death. Dean had hoped that when the dust settled after that, that he and Sam would be closer, be brothers, be sort of how the other Sam and Dean were.

"That's right. Yeah. I forgot." Dean said with a shake of his head.

"Just know this Dean. I will be keeping an eye on you. I get wind of anything even suspicious. I will have children services on you before you can blink."

"What is wrong with you?"

Sam ignored the question and looked down at his brother and said with as much venom as he possessed. "I don't give a rats ass about you Dean. I worry about that little boy. He got the short end of the stick having you for a father and if you so much as make him cry you won't have the privilege of having him in your home." Sam turned on his heel and went back inside the house.

There had been a time in which Dean would have accepted the mean and hateful words from his brother as gospel, but not anymore, not since he met the brother he could have had. Not since he had realized that his life meant something to someone. Even if that was a 7 year old kid that was in the other room being petted and loved on by grandparents that were hurting over the loss of his mother. Sam had no idea what he as talking about, and for the first time since he had gotten clean and sober, he simply didn't care. He turned and went back inside to comfort his child. Sam could huff and puff all he wanted, Dean would not give up his son. The only way Sam would be able to get that kid from him would be to kill him, and let him try.

***

It took virtually no coaxing for Dean to allow Adam to stay at home for a week. Adam needed that time to adjust to living with Dean, to a different style of living and a different life in general. It was a lot different having Adam every single day rather than just the weekend. He couldn't say "what did you mom say" when he asked a question, and he tried to adhere to the rules that Kelly had long establish. But, he couldn't say no when the first thing that Adam willingly ate was an ice cream bar at six in the morning.

Dean took Adam to school that first day back and he honestly couldn't decide who was more nervous. Adam slowly got out of the car, gave a small smile to Dean, got his backpack, and went towards the big doors. Adam looked so small as he entered those big doors to academia, and Dean felt an emptiness that he had never known before. Dean waited until the boy was inside and completely out of sight before he drove away.

He got back home, and it was his last day off, and he rambled around the now suddenly very quiet house, knowing that he needed to clean it before both he and Adam were back to whatever would pass as normal now. As much as the laundry needed done, and as much as he needed to go grocery shopping, or clean the kitchen or the bathroom, he just couldn't force himself. In classic avoidance behavior he sat down in front of the computer and checked his e-mail. E-mail he hadn't checked since the fire.

There were several e-mails all stemming from the same e-mail, an e-mail that he didn't recognize.

_What sites are you using for your research?_ Was the first one line e-mail and it took Dean a moment to remember that this guy had read his work and had asked him before this whole mess started about where he got the information that fueled his stories. He replied and sent him all of the links he requested and then continued reading.

_Are you and your family okay?_ That e-mail took him aback. How would this guy know about anything going a miss in his family? After that e-mail, the ones that followed became more frantic.

_Are you there?_

_Answer me damnit!_

Dean sat back in his chair and the realization slowly began to over come him. There were hunters out there, just like Sam had said, and they sensed something was happening around him.

Dean hesitantly hit the reply button, and he starred at the blinking cursor for a moment trying to collect his thoughts before he wrote:

_I'm here. My family is not okay. The mother of my son was killed in a house fire last week. He's taking it pretty bad. What signs have you seen? What should I be doing to protect my son? Rock salt?_

Dean reread the e-mail several times and knew that it sounded moronic but if it kept his son safe, he didn't care what it sounded like. This person on the other side of the e-mail, may just be the person who would help keep his son safe.


	7. Mary Did You Know

**AN: This is an informational chapter. I apologize that it isn't full of angst and action. But this chapter was needed to get the others done. Again. Hope you enjoy!**

_I'm here. My family is not okay. The mother of my son was killed in a house fire last week. He's taking it pretty bad. What signs have you seen? What should I be doing to protect my son? Rock salt?_

The man sat back against his computer chair, ran a hand down his face and sighed. "Damnit!" He swore loudly. The demons were after this kid and his family. He felt it in his gut when he met the kid, but now, knowing that it was happening, made everything worse.

Rereading the e-mail again, the man in the trucker cap realized that the kid knew more about the supernatural than just what he put in his stories. He seemed to believe in the stuff, wanted to know if rock salt would protect him and his son. And he knew about signs. Did the kid know that demons were after his family? Would he believe him if he told him how to protect himself? Would he tell his mother, the infamous Campbell daughter and would she be willing to drop the pretense of normalcy and take her place amongst hunters again? So many questions, so little information.

Every hunter had been alerted that something had run amok months ago when the man from the other reality came and paid Dean a visit. After that encounter, demonic signs popped up everywhere, and more and more demons were active and busy trying to do….something. None of them were for sure what….but there was something brewing.

He sighed again and began to type:

_Rock salt. Yes. Doors and windows. Keep an eye on your kid. I'll be there in a couple of days and we'll check everything out together. Tell your mom that Bobby said there was something going on. She'll understand. Your son's mom's death was not natural._

All Bobby could hope was that Mary was willing to do this. She was a Campbell after all, and they were not known for backing down from a fight.

Dean was sitting at the computer when he received the e-mail from the man who asked him if his family was all right. He hesitated for a second before clicking on it and read the contents. Confusion washed over him. Why would his mother know anything?

Dean shook his head. Rationally, he should just disregard this e-mail. Logically he should be looking at it like the guy on the other end is a nut job who is trying to scare him. But, Dean also knew things out there in the dark existed. He had been harmed by a demon. It all could be true. His brain raced frantically thinking about Adam at school and vulnerable, thinking that if he didn't call his mother and tell her what the e-mail said that he could somehow be hurting his family more than if he said something and risked them thinking he was a little nuts.

He was dialing the phone before he realized he had it in his hand, and his mother answered, bright and chipper. "Dean, sweetie are you okay?" she asked when he didn't speak right away.

"Mom. Bobby says that there is something going on. Does that mean something to you?" he asked quickly hoping that the speed would somehow lessen the impact of his words.

Mary stayed silent. She knew who Bobby was. She knew what he meant. What she was unsure of was how exactly Dean knew Bobby and she wasn't sure how much he knew. She had done digging on Kelly's death right after it happened. She found the sulfur and she knew that it was demonic. She also knew that she had to keep an eye on her grandson and son, because if it was the yellow eyed son of a bitch she was going to rip him to shreds before he could get his filthy claws into her boys again. He had bled into Sam's mouth as an infant, and she had watched that boy like a hawk ever since. She knew that the demons were up to something no good, she just never expected them to come after her grandson, or Dean for that matter. Dean always seemed as if he got a free pass from the demons. But, she guessed now, that things were different. Apparently everyone in her family was fair game.

"What do you know Dean?" she asked softly.

"What do you know mom?" he asked almost breathless with surprise.

"Dean. Just answer the damn question!" she practically yelled.

"Not until you tell me what in the hell is going on!" he demanded. "This thing maybe after my son and if you know something about it Mom you better start talking!" Dean yelled. He hadn't yelled at his mother since he got off the drugs. When the last sound escaped his mouth he instantly felt remorseful. He closed his eyes and took a breath. "I'm sorry. I have no right to yell at you or be disrespectful. I'm just worried about Adam. His mother was killed by a something. I need to know what that something might be so I can protect him."

"I know." She sighed. "There's a lot to say Dean. A lot. Come over. I need to talk to you."

Mary paced her kitchen, wondering exactly how she would tell her son the things that she vowed to herself she would never tell her kids. Never force them to live the life she had been forced to lead. No after school activities because she had to learn how to hunt a vampire, how to hunt a werewolf, a ghost, a poltergeist, demons and all comers. She had been raised like a warrior in a war that would never end, and she never wanted her boys apart of it. Thought that by making that deal, by staying out of the hunting world she wouldn't be bringing that evil back into her life or into her boys to begin with. However, that evil had bled into Sam's mouth, he wanted something, and she didn't know what. She kept a firm eye on her son, and despite his horrid attitude nothing had come of it. Or at least not yet.

Dean arrived quicker than she expected and was calling for her as soon as he opened the door.

"I'm in the kitchen baby." She called. He limped his way to her, his scarred face fearful and worried. She sat down at the table and he did the same.

"What is going on mom?" he asked tightly.

"It happened a long time ago." She gave a bitter laugh. "Actually it happened before I was born." She relayed the tale to her son. Told him about her father and mother and how they were hunters of the supernatural, and how a yellow eyed demon had killed John and gave him back to her if she promised in ten years to allow him to come into her home and how she was so distressed she allowed it. And because of that Sam was infected with demon blood.

She began to explain herself to Dean, explain how she could do something so awful when he rested a hand on hers and said, "I understand mom. Grief does amazing things to people. Go on." Mary, surprised by the understanding her son's words and tone, continued, explained that she kept their home protected, that she did everything she could to keep the evil from entering their home. But, in her desire to be normal, she had let her skills go, and because of that, Adam's mother was dead. The son of a bitch was back.

"What do we do mom?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"How do we stay safe, and kill the son of a bitch?"

"Dean, no, you can't get into this. You can't get on the demons' radar."

"I already am. They are the ones who cut me up the last time."

"What? No. How would you know?"

"Because, Sam, well another Sam, came from another reality, one where I died, and he accidentlly brought the demons to me. They just wanted to finish him off, because my death in his reality hadn't done the trick so they were going to start with me and go through the family. I guess, even though he went back, they decided that a Winchester is a Winchester and that it would be fun no matter what. I guess now they want Adam."

"Or you."

"Me?"

"Demons are hard to understand Dean. I guess, now, all we can do is protect ourselves."

"Does dad know?"

"About the hunting?"

"Yeah."

Mary licked her lips and nodded slowly. "I told him right after the demon bled into Sam's mouth. He needed to be ready, I needed someone at my back if they came after Sammy. Yeah, he knows. We just didn't tell you or your brother." Dean nodded, taking in this information.

"Let's not tell Sammy or Adam right now. Let's just see what is going to happen."

"I'll call Bobby."

"I need to go get my kid." Both nodded and went their separate ways. Mary, on the receiving end of a tongue lashing from Bobby Singer, and Dean on a frantic run to get his kid and keep him safe.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: First and foremost, I'm terribly sorry this has been three years in the making. Second, I'm sorry it's so short. I'm trying to get a running jump into the story again. I know how it ends, I just need to feel out how to write it well. I hope you enjoy. SCB

SNSNSNSNSNSN

It took some effort but Mary finally got a hold of Bobby Singer. "Mary Campbell. Your boy is in a world of danger." Was his greeting.

"I know."

"He knows about hunting, he knows about demons, but he ain't got nothing in the way of knowing how to protect himself. How could you let him go through life like that?"

"I didn't tell him. I didn't want him to have any part of the life."

"Then how did he find them…or better yet…how did they find him? I thought we took care of that when he was a baby." Bobby said referencing the spell they had had a hoodoo priest cast over Dean when he was 5 after the demon had bled into Sam's mouth.

"We did. They didn't find him by conventional means. A Sam from another reality came…he…I don't know what he wanted….Dean didn't give me details. But that Sam brought the demons to Dean. They carved him up pretty good the last time they got ahold of him."

"Damnit." Bobby cursed. "Okay, little lady, you keep Dean as close as possible, that kid of his too. I'll be there tonight."

"Okay." She hesitated for a moment. "Bobby I'm scared." She whispered.

"Me too." She heard Bobby sigh. "Me too."

SNSNSNSNSNSN

Dean saw the headlights come up the drive before anyone else. "He's here." Dean said anxiously, reaching for the door knob when Mary stopped him.

"No baby. Be careful. You can't muss up the salt." She said and stepped over the line and opened the door a crack. The beat up muscle car's lights turned off, and the squeak of a door , the slam of metal on metal, and the footsteps heavy and deliberate come up the drive.

Mary waited, tried not to wring her hands together, tried to get her act together, tried to make her father proud, and just as the waiting was almost too much Bobby's face came into the orb of light on the patio. His grizzled face was just as she remembered it.

"Mary." He said softly.

"Bobby."

"Can I come in?"

"You know the drill." Bobby smiled thankful that over 25 years of normal hadn't beaten the caution out of her. He pulled out his silver knife that was blessed by a priest and cut his palm.

He pulled out a packet of salt and downed it. She watched intently for any signs, and when there were none, she extended him a flask of holy water which he drank down. All tests passed she stepped away from the door and allowed Bobby admittance. She closed and locked the door behind him, and immediately repaired the damage done to the salt line.

Bobby turned and nodded to John and then he saw Dean, just behind his father. The boy once upon a time must have been extremely handsome, but something had taken his beauty and Bobby felt a twinge of sadness for the boy who wrote the marvelously accurate stories of the supernatural.

"Bobby, this is my family. This is John." She pushed hair out her face nervously. "You knew that." Bobby shook John's hand. "This is Dean." Dean reached out for Bobby and Bobby shook his hand as well, was surprised by the strength in his grip.

"You're the one I e-mailed?"

"Yes sir."

"It was your girlfriend?"

"No. She was my ex. She was my boy's mom."

"And she burned on the ceiling?" Dean swallowed.

"As far as I could tell."

"Something drug my mommy onto the ceiling." A small voice came from the stair way."

Dean turned swiftly and limped his way to the foot of the stairs. "Adam, go on back to bed." Instead of listening to his father, Adam came down the stairs further.

"I can't sleep. All I see is mommy burning on the ceiling." He said with big fat alligator tears streaming down his face. Dean met his son halfway up the stairs and grabbed him up, picked him up, despite the protesting of his scarred body, and carried him back down the stairs. Dean hugged his son as close to his body as humanly possible. He turned fierce green eyes onto the elder man.

"You can help us take care of the son of a bitch who killed Kelly?" Bobby nodded slowly.

"I'll most certainly do my best son."

"Your best better mean dead for whatever did this." Bobby raised an eyebrow at Dean. He hadn't expected a boy with such grit, with such determination, with such guile. Bobby was surprised to find that he liked the kid.

Bobby sighed and nodded. "We've got work to do."


End file.
